Chapter 380: Choose (23)

Sequence's performance ended, leaving the room in an awkward silence.

"Well, thanks for showing us your performance."

Chronos members clapped enthusiastically to break the tension and usher the Sequence members to their seats. It seemed like this was going to be a long talk. The air was thick with anticipation and nervous energy as everyone waited to see who would speak first and what would be said.

Just as I was trying to figure out where to start, Joo-Han nudged me. Given my frequent role in leading performances, I often took the lead in providing feedback in situations like this. I relaxed my expression and looked at the tense Sequence members. They looked like deer caught in headlights, all wide-eyed and unsure.

I decided to start with the positives. "You guys have great live performance skills. Despite the intense choreography of ‘Joy,’ your stability and powerful voices really brought the atmosphere to life." It was clear they had put in countless hours of practice, and that effort deserved to be acknowledged.

"Thank you!" they responded in unison, and their faces lit up slightly.

"In the beginning, your choreography was well synchronized. It was evident how much you practiced. Even we couldn’t have reached this level in just a week."

"Thank you so much!!!" Their gratitude was palpable, and I could see the tension easing out of their shoulders.

"But," I continued, noticing their expressions tighten again. "I feel like each of you is good at or confident in very different areas. It’s like you are each shining in your own way, but not quite together."

"..."

"While it's great to have strengths, it’s a problem when it becomes too noticeable during a performance. As a group, you need to balance these differences so you appear as one cohesive unit rather than separate individuals." I scanned their faces for understanding. Some of them looked thoughtful while others seemed a bit disheartened.

Aeon was confident in vocals but weak when it came to dancing. Byeong-Kwan was only comfortable rapping. Hyo-Joon excelled at dancing but little else. Despite having been trainees for a long time, some members didn’t have much to boast about and lacked stage experience. Nevertheless, I felt they had a good sense of balance overall as a group.

"The vocal balance, for example. It might be nerves because we are here, but there were noticeable differences in voice volume and dancing power. You are all very skilled individually, but together, it looks off. If you monitor your performance on camera, you might be surprised by what you see." I tried to soften the critique with a smile.

"Ah..."

"As a group, you should prioritize balancing your performance so you all shine together, then work on highlighting your individual strengths within that balance. Imagine how powerful you could be as a unified front."

We weren't there to judge harshly but to help. We mixed our compliments with constructive feedback. Yoon-Chan guided them on eye contact, Goh Yoo-Joon on facial expressions and vocal balance, Jin-Sung on stage movement and choreography, and Joo-Han on part distribution.

The Sequence members listened intently while taking notes and absorbing everything we said. In fact, criticizing the ones who used to be trainees with us in the past was harsh, but fortunately, they were like sponges, soaking up every bit of advice we offered.

"Let’s split up and work on these areas individually," Joo-Han suggested and wrapped up the group talk. "Shall we?"

"Yes!" they responded with renewed energy.

Joo-Han paired each of us with Sequence members for one-on-one training. My first student was Han Jun. He approached me sheepishly by scratching his neck as if unsure how to start the conversation.

"Se... Senior..."

"Oh, come on. Don’t call me ‘senior.' Just call me whatever makes you feel comfortable." I waved off the formality. Even with the cameras rolling, I couldn't stand being called 'senior' by someone I was close to. It was too awkward.

The relationship between Han Jun and me would be well introduced in the broadcast anyway, and the Rings wouldn’t want to see Han Jun feeling uncomfortable interacting with me.

"Call me by my name as you always do. I can’t handle this cringiness."

"Hehe... Okay, got it," he said with a shy smile after glancing nervously at the camera. "You were pretty cool giving feedback earlier."

"You always praise when you are embarrassed. Anyway, I noticed something during your performance. Watch where my gaze goes." I demonstrated a part of the choreography by deliberately glancing back over my shoulder repeatedly. "You kept looking back while moving, probably because there are so many members."

"Ah, I see."

I emphasized the importance of engaging with the audience. "You need to focus your gaze forward, especially during a performance. If you’re always thinking about your next move, you will rarely make eye contact with the audience or the camera."

Han Jun reflected for a moment, then nodded seriously. "I didn’t realize that. Now that I think about it, I barely looked forward."

"Exactly. You’re great at dancing and singing, so don't worry about making mistakes. Focus on your eye contact and the audience... Why are you looking at me like that?" I noticed Han Jun staring at me intently, a bit like Goh Yoo-Joon’s mischievous smirk. It made me uncomfortable.

"Nothing. It’s just, you really seem like a trainer."

"A trainer?" I echoed, surprised.

"Yeah, you know. Someone who’s been on stage a lot. It’s different. Anyway, I will give it a try."

Han Jun looked somewhat embarrassed, but started dancing and singing again with a determined look. "Lower your thighs more, to a full ninety degrees angle. You need to match Hyo-Joon’s precision. Put more energy into your movements to keep the choreography tight."

"Got it."

"Yeah, focusing on matching with Hyo-Joon should be your priority. Only add your personal touch when you are in the center. That way, it will look perfectly synchronized from a distance."

"Where should I place my hands when I lower my thighs?" He asked, already trying to incorporate the feedback.

"In your pockets."

Han Jun was quick to understand with his long training period and self-awareness, and asked many questions. He was an ideal student as he made the one-on-one session smooth and productive. His eagerness to learn was refreshing, and it made the teaching experience enjoyable.

Next up were main dancer Hyo-Joon and main vocalist Aeon. They were the members I wasn’t too familiar with. As they approached, I tried to gauge their personalities based on their body language and the way they interacted.

"Thanks for your teaching in advance, Senior!"

"Nah, thanks for coming."

Hyo-Joon was outspoken and seemed to have a strong personality, while Aeon was shy and hesitant, even when dancing. Compared to our main dancer, Hyo-Joon seemed more sensitive in a good way.

Having seen many trainees, I could roughly gauge their personalities just by observing their performance and demeanor. This was going to be an interesting session, I thought to myself, preparing to dive into the next round of feedback and guidance.

During the "Joy" performance, as soon as Aeon stepped to the center and the group dance faltered, Hyo-Joon's expression hardened. Aeon also looked back at Hyo-Joon as he moved to the back, indicating they'd probably had emotional clashes while preparing for the performance.

"Senior, I really respect you as much as Aeon does." Hyo-Joon smiled brightly and tapped his chest with his palm as if to show his heart was racing. "We watch your fancam videos together every day. We are always learning!"

"Thank you so much. It’s really humbling to hear that." I felt a bit overwhelmed by their sincerity. I led the two of them to sit on the floor so we could talk more comfortably. "First, I want to ask you both. What was the hardest part of preparing for ‘Joy?’ And who’s older between you two?"

"We are the same age!" Hyo-Joon said, throwing an arm around Aeon’s shoulders and pulling him close.

Aeon nodded vigorously in agreement. "We’re friends."

"Ah, I see. So Hyo-Joon, you go first." I said, turning to him.

"Well, when I monitor myself, I feel like I stand out too much. Like my dancing is too flashy compared to the others."

"But you are the main dancer?"

"Yeah... but it seems like I dance too powerfully, more than necessary," Hyo-Joon admitted and looked a bit downcast. It was common among main dancers to excel when dancing solo, but their distinct style could sometimes disrupt group harmony. Unlike Jin-Sung, who could blend his style into the group choreography seamlessly, not many main dancers could manage that.

It didn’t seem like a very serious concern, judging by his expression. However, he probably felt a bit stressed because the group dance didn’t look as good as it could.

"How about you, Aeon? What’s your biggest challenge?"

"Um, for me..." Aeon began, his face turning red.

Hyo-Joon mumbled teasingly. "There he goes blushing again."

Aeon shoved Hyo-Joon away gently. "Stop saying such a thing in front of our senior." He looked back at me. "It’s dancing. I don’t know how to put it, but I feel like I am just barely keeping up. When I monitor myself, I can see the whole vibe drops as soon as I step to the front."

"Yeah, I noticed that too," I said, relieved that Aeon was aware of his weakness. Knowing the problem was half the battle because it meant he was already trying to improve. Therefore, he could learn quickly with the right guidance.

After hearing both of their concerns, I spoke up. "Okay, here’s what I think. Hyo-Joon, your dancing style isn’t really a problem. You are a skilled dancer, and your unique style shows because you are good. When I watched you perform, I didn’t feel like you stood out too much."

"Really? That's a relief... Should I be okay then?"

"Yeah, it’s probably because you try to find flaws when you monitor yourselves. Try to look at good things as well."

"Okay! Phew, I’m glad to hear this. Thank you so much!"

I smiled and gently avoided Hyo-Joon’s gaze, which was filled with boundless trust. Honestly, I wasn’t that great myself, so I had been feeling quite burdened by these two staring at me like this. Back when I was a trainer, I rarely received such looks.

In the distance, I could see Jin-Sung enthusiastically teaching Byeong-Kwan, and I couldn’t help but envy his confidence a little. Pushing aside my embarrassment, I looked back at Hyo-Joon.

"But I think you should work on your vocals more."

"Oh, okay..."

"You need to sing louder, pronounce clearly, and be confident. Even if you make a mistake, don’t worry about it. Your voice is good, but if you lack confidence, it sounds like you are not singing well."

"I will work on it. Thank you, Senior." Hyo-Joon's lack of vocal confidence was a major reason Sequence's voices didn’t blend well. It was crucial to fix this to avoid being seen as a weak group.

Next, I turned to Aeon. "Aeon... Could you show me your dancing a bit?"

With Aeon, I felt direct teaching would be more effective than talking.